METALLIC SPARKLES

Good morning!

With the last weekend right before Christmas having just ended, the energy all around is charged with great anticipation for the merriest holiday of the year as well as the ending of the year 2014. In a holiday spirit, I embraced some sparkles with this dark metallic dolman sweater from Express, which is currently hosting a 50%-off-everything sale (by the way, I’m selling my teal one here). Incidentally, this style was recently brought back in stock due to popular demand – it first made its debut a few years ago in basic colors and I couldn’t help but purchase a couple since they’re so versatile! Now that the style is back, I was pleased to see that Express expanded the color choices and even offered metallic hues, like the indigo one I’m wearing here, which give the already stylish sweater some extra sparkle – perfect for the December holiday mood. Paired with a little black skort like this ASTR one, it’s the perfect laidback yet polished outfit.

And speaking of the December holiday mood… With all the hectic party-planning and the gift-buying/sending, it’s easy to forget to carve out some time for yourself to enjoy all the gorgeous opportunities that December has to offer. Snow is one of nature’s holiday gifts to us, but if you’re like me and don’t live where it snows, here are some of my favorite December traditions that I always try to make time for. Granted, you might not necessarily live where I live, but these might just spark some ideas for you:

• Christmas Lights: This is my favorite thing about December. Something about seeing Christmas lights just makes me so happy! Great places to see some breathtaking light displays around the vicinity of Los Angeles include The Grove, L.A. Zoo, South Bay Sleepy Hollow Christmas Lights, Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade, Long Beach Chill at Queen Mary, and Dana Point IllumiOcean.
• Theatre: I haven’t been able to do this recently, but I’m forever a fan of The Nutcracker Ballet. I’m definitely aiming to cross this off my list next year! I’m also a huge fan of Disney on Ice.
• Donate to charity: This time of year, it gets dreadfully cold at night (and even during the day, in some places), and a lot of people and animals alike need all the help they can get. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen, donate canned food, toys, and usable clothes to your local charity, and/or drop some spare change for the needy.
• Gather with friends and family: We all have busy schedules and might not necessarily get to see our friends and family as much as we like throughout the year, so what better time than over the holidays to make time for our loved ones?

What are some of your favorite December traditions? I’d love to hear them! In the meantime, the countdown to Christmas and the new year is nearing its end, so get ready for that! And as always, thank you for reading!

Sweater: Express (50% off everything, limited time!)
Skort: ASTR (60% off sale, limited time!)
Jacket: Forever 21 (similar – on sale, limited time!)
Booties: Madden Girl (similar – 25% off, limited time!)
Bag: Michael Kors (similar – 15% off, limited time!)

Photos by Herman

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